BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin delivered opening remarks to ITU's 2020 Regional Development Forum in the Asia-Pacific. This Forum served as a platform to identify regional priorities for digital connectivity and address questions on how to move forward on achieving universal, affordable and meaningful connectivity for all. It allowed for sharing strategic orientations and exploring new partnerships, as the international community looks towards the implementation of the Buenos Aires Action Plan developed at the 2017 World Telecommunication Development Conference.
Ms Bogdan-Martin remarked that Asia and the Pacific region is home to around 60 per cent of the world's population, and is equally diverse. She noted, ''this diversity is also reflected in the speed and scope of ICT development among countries in the region.'' She recognized that ICT penetration in Asia and the Pacific is generally above the worldwide average. Mobile cellular penetration reached around 112% in 2019 against a worldwide average of 108%, and mobile broadband penetration reached 89% in 2019 above the global average of 83%.
However, there are still gaps in the connectivity agenda in the region which needs to be filled. Only 51% of the surveyed households in the region had access to the Internet in 2019, which was below the global average of 57% . The figures for the use of internet and fixed broadband penetration, are also below global averages. This data illustrates the gaps in connectivity that must be filled in line with the 2030 Connectivity agenda.
Ms Bogdan-Martin urged that robust and resilient ICT networks, including broadband networks, need to be considered basic infrastructure. She also emphasized that ''ICT serves as the catalyst that can accelerate the achievement of all SDGs by 2030.''
Distinguished participants of the opening ceremony included: H.E. Mr Bob Loughman Weibur, Prime Minister, Vanuatu; Ms Bolor-Erdene Battsengel, Chairwoman of CITA, Mongolia; H.E. Mr Lyonpo Karma Donnen Wangdi, Minister, Ministry of Information and Communications, Royal Government of Bhutan; H.E. Mr Abdul Halim Iskandar, Minister, Ministry of Village Development of Disadvantages Region, and Transmigration, Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Mr Mustafa Jabbar, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications & IT, Bangladesh; H.E. Mr Shafqat Mahmood, Minister, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Islamabad, Pakistan; H.E. Mr Johnny Gerard Plate, Minister, Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Republic of Indonesia; Ms Areewan Haorangsi, Secretary-General, Asia-Pacific Telecommunity; Mr Woochong Um, Director General, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, Asian Development Bank.
